Chelsea midfielder Ramires joins Jiangsu Suning for reported €28m

Ramires has left Premier League champions Chelsea for Chinese club Jiangsu Suning in a deal reportedly worth around £25 million.

Sources told ESPN FC on Monday that Ramires, 28, was closing in on a move to China amid interest from Jiangsu and Shanghai Shenhua, and it is the Nanjing-based club -- managed by former Chelsea defender Dan Petrescu -- who have won the race to sign him.

Ramires arrived at Chelsea from Benfica in a reported £17m deal in the summer of 2010 and made 251 appearances in all competitions over five-and-a-half years at Stamford Bridge, scoring 34 goals and winning every major domestic and European trophy in the process.

The Brazil international signed a new four-year contract in October but started just one match for Chelsea under interim manager Guus Hiddink -- a 2-0 FA Cup third-round victory over League One Scunthorpe United earlier this month.

Ramires' departure represents Chelsea's first sale of the January transfer window, though Papy Djilobodji and Christian Atsu have joined Werder Bremen and Malaga respectively on loan.